“Ok. Liam is it? You and your friend are our prime suspects in this case, so tell me. Why were you there? And please spare no details” the officer explained.

“Funny of you to ask that. You know it all started with a simple question…” I replied.

-

(*Flashback to 5 and half hours or so*)

“Hey Liam wanna see what kind of trouble we can get into?” Emily queried, throwing herself on my back whilst I was on my phone, blatantly bored.

I groaned. “Oh god Emily, we’re going to get in trouble again aren’t we?”

“It’s a Tuesday, I know how to restrain myself. Have some faith in me.” She gasped and glared me offended that I would call her out like that.

“You absolutely do not! Remember what happened to the neighbours cat? Have you seen it since the ‘incident’. The poor thing’s practically at death’s door.” I reply accusingly This happens every other week or so depending on Emily’s mood. I practically have these lines rehearsed.

“Hey I thought we weren’t gonna talk about that anymore!” She looks away guiltily “I said I was sorry”

-

“Then you add a couple (or five) completely, coincidentally unoccupied houses, some random dude wanted for multiple counts of arson, a lighter a broken door handle, an idiot and their book smart but equally dumb friend and there you have it folks. The recipe for disaster. Anyone can do it.” I explained.

“So you and your friend Emily was it? Deliberately went out looking for trouble. That’s what you’re telling me?” Suspicion evident in the officers voice as they start writing something down

“Yeah,” I replied with more enthusiasm than most would in my situation “I should’ve refused, shut down her idea and just went straight home from there but what if something happened to her then I would’ve felt guilty…….,”I stared at the mirror in thought. “Nahhhh. Who am I kidding I kinda like a little chaos once in a while. Though this wasn’t what I was expecting.” I admit.

“Just continue the story, we haven’t got all day kid” The officers sighs.

“Alright, so we left Emily’s house at around 6:15 maybe even a little earlier, walked down a good couple miles from the road her house was on - cuz like only a rookie troublemaker gets into trouble on their own road where everyone know you and your family - and only just about convinced her to only trash a couple peoples gardens knocked over a couple bins. You know, the usual delinquent behaviour.” I relay.

“Mhmm…yeah completely normal.” They say.

“Hey. You should thank me. We could’ve been in here for a whole different reason if it weren’t for me” I said proudly.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Continue.” Officer waving their hand in a dismissive manner.

I slouch back in my chair annoyed that my quick thinking and persuasive skills were not acknowledged but never the less continue to relay the series of events. “Well, after ‘bout an hour and a half of it we got bored and decided to head back to order some Hawaiian pizza. It’s the best! Don’t you agree?” I question.

“No. Now get on with it or I’m gonna have to lock up you and your friend to question on a different date. Ya hear?” They threaten.

“Yeah I hear ya. Geez. Don’t get your knickers in a twist. Anyway, we decided it was time to go but then Emily smelt some and decided she wanted to go and explore a bit more. You know the typical white girl behaviour. I drawl.

-

(*Flashback to 4 hours and 15 min ago*)

“What is that!”Emily yells as she stares up at the fire.

“I dunno. But I kinda looks like A FRICKING FIRE TO ME, EM!!!” I yell back at her.

“Well we have to help Liam!” She declares.

“What! No! How the hell are two dumb teenagers suppose to help?!” I say whilst grabbing her wrist and trying to turn around and get back her house.

“There might be people inside! We have to help. The firefighters won’t be here for a while!” She explains.

“We don’t have to do anything Em!” I retort as continue to pull her away from the fire.

Emily snatches her hand away from mine” FINE! You’re so selfish. I don’t need your help anyway!” She shouted as she runs head first through gaping hole a the side of the house created by the fire.

“Wait. Don’t do it Emily come back! And I’m not selfish, I just have natural fight or flight instincts which I have to use for the both of us since you don’t seem to have any. I yell after her. I knew it was no use but I still screamed for her to come back.

-

“I see. Please go on…” the Officer asks

“So after a min or so of waiting I ran in after her and started darting through all the rooms of the house, but I couldn’t find her to until i by chance stumbled upon her in the living room” I explain.

-

(*Flashback to 3 hours and 40 min earlier*)

“Oh. You came back!” Emily said surprised.

“Obviously! What did you think I wouldn’t? I’m not that selfish” I smirked.

“I guess not…” Emily said looking down at her feet.

“But seriously how do we keep getting into these situations?” I questioned.

“Eleven years of friendship and I still don’t know.” Emily replied honestly.

-

“So after I found her I quickly pulled her to to the bathroom and locked us in.”

“But when we found you and your friend you had very little smoke inhalation. Would you like to explain this” said the officer.

“Sure. It was all thanks to my survival and rescue classes. I made sure to turn on all the faucets in the bathroom, drench a towel in water and put it under the door to prevent smoke coming and I didn’t open the window in case the smoke from outside came in.

“I’m surprised!” They exclaimed.

“Im gonna take that as a compliment. Thank you” I said.

“Please continue” the Officer inquired.

“Sure nothing much happen after that, we just waited, panicked then waited some more till you found us” I said dryly.

-

(*Flashback to 2 hours and 40 min*)

“Act natural” Emily said.

“For this kind of situation, the most natural reaction would be to panic, so technically I can panic.” I explain.

“NO, that’s not what I meant! Act like it a normal day!” Emily huffs.

“My ‘normal days’ as of late, consist of a lot of panic and considering my day are usually spent around you it does make a lot of sense.” I says matter of factly.

“Will you just cooperate Liam!?” She asks clearly irritated.

“When a person is panicking they are not able to cooperate very well Emily. If you ever panicked in your life you would understand.” I cried.

“Arrrrggghhhh!!!” Emily yells fed up and tired.

“Ahhhhhh!!!” I scream in retaliation.

“Why are you screaming, nothings happened yet?” She shouts at me hands waving erratically.

“‘Yet’ you say. Really, we are literally stuck in a burning building” I say suspiciously.

Emily glared me and slowly stalled toward me.

-

“Then you guys came in and got us it before she could attack me a blind rage. You’re a real life saver. I am forever In your debt” I say honest gratitude lacing my every word.

“Uh….You welcome….I guess” they say hesitantly.

“And that’s the whole story. How was it did you like the way I relay the events. If not please give some pointers. I’ve got a speech to a school next week and the advice would really help” i say excitedly leaning over the desk toward the Officer.

They sigh and rest their head in their hand “Just get the next kid in here or so help me”.

“Ok, ok. Geez. But heads up my friend is way more talkative than me” I warned the officer.

“Just leave. Please” They begged.

“Alright. I’ll leave” I said whilst being escorted out.

-

(*3rd Person*)

As Liam was escorted out of the interrogation room Emily past him whilst being escorted into the room. Both smiling at each other stupidly and exchanging a quick fist bump.

“You know what to do man” Liam said.

“You know it bro, this happens all the time” Emily replied.

“No thanks to you” Liam said nonchalantly.

As soon as Emily took a seat in from of the Officer they heaved a long sigh and turned to the one way mirror behind them.

“Oh my gosh. Clear my evening,” they turn back to face Emily’s dopey smile and sigh once again “this is gonna take a while”.